A 17-year-old boy from Florida City, Fla., is facing a manslaughter charge after he accidentally shot and killed his younger sister on his birthday Tuesday night, police said.
Miami-Dade Police Detective Alvaro Zabaleta told Local 10 that Martaevious Santiago called 911 to report that he had shot his 13-year-old sister, and when Florida City police arrived on the scene, they found Teddra King suffering from an apparent gunshot wound to the head.
Teddra was pronounced dead at the scene by Miami-Dade Fire Rescue paramedics.
Martaevious’ stepfather, Vernon Williams, told Local 10 that the young man said, “Daddy, I’m sorry. It was an accident. I’m sorry, Dad.”
Martaevious was celebrating his 17th birthday, and according to a Miami-Dade police report, he was holding a loaded semi-automatic handgun when Teddra came up and gave him a hug. As she turned to walk away, he pointed the gun at the back of her head and pulled the trigger, police said.
He told police that the shooting was accidental.
“I can’t fault anyone for this here,” Williams told Local 10. “It happened.”
Williams said that he and his wife have a combined nine children in their blended family, and he described his stepdaughter Teddra as “a beautiful young lady.”
Zabaleta said the gun was given to Martaevious by a 14-year-old friend who was also arrested on an outstanding delinquency warrant.
A public defender appeared on Martaevious’ behalf in court Wednesday, where a judge ordered that he remain in secure detention until his next hearing in May.
A candlelight vigil to remember Teddra was scheduled to take place at the family home Thursday.
Read more at Local 10.
DISCUSSION
“Santiago pointed the gun at the back of her head and pulled the trigger.”
I am such an advocate for taking a rigorous gun safety course for any families that keep guns. Obviously in this case it wasn’t a family gun, but when I read this my heart hurt. We don’t have a gun in our house, but grandparents do and grandpa likes taking kids to the range. So, everyone went through a really good safety course, because shit like this scares the hell out of me. What a horrible thing to have happen to this poor family.